Curious Maverick

The biggest cause of my professional suffering has come from this: trying to win at a game that I wasn't even excited to play in. ✅ This happened a few times: - Trying to top grades in undergrad when my passion wasn't even chemical engineering - Trying hard to get a corporate job when I knew in my core that I wasn't meant for it - Trying to build a company when all I really wanted to do was write If you hate your school, job, or career, it's worth asking: Do you even want to play the game anymore? Or rather, design your own? ✅ Graham Weaver shares what that looks like in his last lecture: - Choose a goal that stirs your blood. One that makes you feel something. - Design your own game. Most “rules” are just convention - break them. - Play with people you admire. Who you surround yourself with shapes your identity. - Play now. Not later. Now is your life. “You’re more likely to achieve an aspirational goal you’re excited about than a moderate one you don’t care for.” :)

BIG NEWS: Starting August, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras is offering 10 online certificate courses in AI, Data Science, Computing & more - meant for students in high school. Context: This is done as part of of their 'School Connect' program - a quiet but powerful shift in how we prepare kids for the future. ✅ Key details: → Each course is 8 weeks long. → Taught by IIT professors. → Open to schools across India. → Registration closes by July 25. → And it’s all free. And this isn’t the only one. 📍IISc launched 'STEM Stars', a fellowship for girls in government schools to bridge the gender gap in tech. 📍CBSE & IBM introduced AI curriculum in Classes 8–10. 📍Atal Tinkering Labs are live in 7,000+ schools, bringing hands-on AI exposure early on. AI is no longer a “college skill.” It's becoming a language (like English or Math) that kids will grow up fluent in. Hope to see more institutions follow the lead. 🎁 Looking to study abroad? I put together a free guide for you on each step: https://lnkd.in/gpuP5gas :) — 🌿 Re-share if you know a school that could benefit. 👉 Follow for more stories on education, tech, and starting from zero.

An Uber ride that I’ll remember forever. It was a Friday night. I’d just wrapped up a partner dance class. Emotionally, I was in a pretty sad state. I got into a shared Uber, hoping to just get home and switch off. Ten minutes in, I realized I’d left my jacket (with my house keys and credit cards) back at the venue. I turned to the driver and asked, “Is there any way you could take me back? I’ll pay you directly for the extra time.” “Of course!” But by then, another rider got into the cab, so we had to drop her off first. This gave us 45 minutes together… where Hector shared his life story. → Moved from El Salvador when he was ten years old. → Lost both his parents by seventeen. → Spent 10 days being homeless and begging for food. → Began washing cars on the street, and eventually got a menial job at a car wash. → Achieved his lifelong dream of owning a house after ten years of working two jobs. :) Hector’s 55 now, and still drives Uber every night, to earn an extra $150 for his expenses. When we finally got the jacket & reached my place, he said: “Don’t worry about the money. It is my duty to get you home safe, and that’s what I did.” He had no reason not to take the money. Or spend those extra 45 minutes helping me. But he did it without hesitation, and without expectation. Being generous when you have plenty is one thing. But being generous when you barely have enough is a kind of wealth that money can’t measure. (I tipped him later.) We all have the choice to be nicer to each other - kinder to each other - in every interaction. Sadly, we squander it by trying to be snarky, selfish, and "I'm better than you." My hope is to find more people like Hector out there. If you've had such an encounter with someone, share below. :) — 🌿 Please re-share if you found value. 👉 Follow me for more insights on personal growth, storytelling, and mastering the 0 → 1 game.

To social media enthusiasts: I’m #hiring a full-time social media manager from India to work with me on my LinkedIn—and more. I began posting content on LinkedIn toward the end of 2022 purely to raise awareness on high-skilled immigration, talent visas, and my upcoming book Unshackled. Along the way, some miraculous things happened: ✨What started as a labor of love became a book, a community, and now a bootstrapped and sustainable company. ✨People actually found value in the content. In 2 years, my content has reached 50M+. Tens of thousands became more educated. ✨I got to meet hundreds of immigrants, founders, and creators thanks to LinkedIn. With time, the community grew from 10,000 to over 105,000. Insane. Now, I’d love to work with someone full-time to continue posting useful content that breaks down something complex into something simple & FUN. 📌 Your role → You’ll be working directly with me. → You’ll manage my account end-to-end: ideate, conduct research, find case studies, write drafts, and more. → LinkedIn will only be ONE of your focuses. → You’ll also have the chance to wear multiple hats—by focusing on Twitter, Threads, and email marketing. 📌 Best fit? The best fit for this role is someone who: → Believes in the power of social media & creator economy → Enjoys dissecting posts & videos to understand how good stories are told → wants to grow as both a social media expert and a brand manager 📌 Sounds fun? Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gzr8G25r (For any questions, please write an email to "hi@curiousmaverick.com") 🌿 Please tag a friend if you think we’ll hit it off =)

2013: Top rank in high-school CS 2017: Gold Medal in B.Tech Chemical Engineering 2019: Joined Salesforce after graduating from Columbia University 2021: Quit Salesforce and the $200k paycheck 2025: Digital nomad writing books & building companies 2013: Top rank in high school CS I thought this was it—the stepping stone to a career in tech. 2017: Gold Medal in B.Tech Chemical Engineering It felt like proof that I was on the right path. Years of hard work, long nights, and dedication had paid off. 2019: Joined Salesforce as a Product Manager My first job, my dream role, and a $130K salary. I had made it. Or so I thought. 2021: Quit Salesforce and the $200K paycheck Walking away from financial security was terrifying. But something didn’t feel right. I wanted more—more freedom, more creativity, more meaning. 2025: Digital nomad, writing books & building companies Today, I work on my own terms. I write books that matter to me. I spend my days building, creating, and living life on my own terms. Looking back, my career path makes no sense on paper. I didn’t stick to CS. I didn’t pursue Chemical Engineering. I walked away from Big Tech. But every turn, every shift, every decision led me here. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: careers aren’t linear. Also, marks do NOT determine where you’ll end up 🙈) You can be a last-bencher and become a savant in your field later on. or.. You can be a topper and completely do a 180 like me. It's okay if you don't have your career figured out at 18, 25, 30, or whenever. You’re allowed to rewrite your story—and the current era makes this easier than it has ever been. 🌿 Re-post to help someone who's figuring out their career.

To all high-skilled immigrants in America! #immigration #unshackled #talentmobility